Related Resources

Leila Kubba, in her presentation “Iraqi Art Tour,” challenged extremist interpretations of history and current events by questioning the clash of civilizations thesis and focusing on similarities between peoples and cultures. Kubba argued that different peoples can speak through their art and music to gain understanding and promote dialogue. Her presentation included a short film on Iraqi history and slide shows with photos from ancient Iraqi civilizations, the modern Iraqi state, as well as her own paintings.

Negative headlines, constant suffering, and the horror of war drove Kubba to her canvas following Operation Desert Storm. The Iraq she loved belonged to Saddam Hussein, which forced her to look for and find a different Iraq in the rich and ancient history of Sumeria and Mesopotamia. Following the second Iraqi war in 2003 and the constant association of Islam with terror, Kubba became enthralled with Andalusia in Spain. She visited the region in order to gain a better understanding of the glory of Islam before it became associated with terror and returned from her trip with a sense of pride in the sophistication of Islamic society. Her work became greatly influenced by the art and architecture of Andalusia.

Kubba returned to Iraq following a twenty-year absence in March of 2004. She shared her cautious optimism for a new Iraq, questioning the future of the country’s identity following the fall of Saddam Hussein.